Envelope



1,603,809 K. P. SEACORD ENVELOPE Filed Oct. 1925 1 WNW I INVENTOR WW W ATTORNEYS.

Patented Get. 19, 1926.

STATES KENNETH I. SEACORD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YGRK.

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Application filed October This invention relates to envelopes and is herein disclosed as applied to one form of ordinary business envelope used for correspondence purposes. Su ch envelopes usually include a face made from a single sheet which projects beyond the edges where it is turned over, and is cut away, with the result that the flaps thus made are folded down to form the sides, the top and the bottom ofthe back. Such and. other envelopes are usually opened by cutting or tearing one end. Sometimes a narrow strip of the end is torn off, sometimes the end is cut off with a pair of scissors. Other methods of opening are sometimes used, such as opening by a paper cutter inserted at the fold of the envelope, or opening by a machine which is adapted to grind off the end of the envelope. It often happens in opening that the contents of the envelope are torn or cut owing to the fact that the contents lie against the edge which is torn or cut in opening the envelope.

According to the present invention a wall or stop is provided inside the envelope forming a pocket which prevents the contents from reaching the end with the result that the end can be torn off without injury to the contents.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of the back of an envelope containing a folded sheet and embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a face view of the back of the blank from which the envelope is folded.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the description of the making of the envelope.

The blank 1 which has been previously cut to form a flap 2, a flap 3, a flap 4:, and a flap 5, is folded along the fold line 6 of the flap 2 so as to fold an extension 7 of the flap over and down upon the body of the flap 2. The extension 7 then lies fiat upon the body of the flap 2, and the flap 2 is folded upon the line 8 thus bringing the flap down upon the body of the blank 1 so that it occupics the position seen in Figure 1, although, of course, the flaps 4 and 5 have not yet been folded over. The extreme edge or margin 1 1 of the front face 13 of the extension 7 is guimi'ied so that the extension 7 is secured to the body of the blank 1 when the flap 2 is folded along the line 8. This provides a pocket formed between the front 9 of the envelope and the body of the flap 2 and the extension 7, in which pocket a sheet 10, hearing correspondence, can be inserted, if inserted, if desired. Normally the envelope is finished before being used to enclose any sheet carrying correspondence. To finish the envelope, the flap 4 is next folded down along a line 11 upon the flap 2 and then the flap 5 is folded over the flaps 1 and 2 along the creased line 12. In the usual manufacture of the envelope, the parts are gumnied before-hand, so that the last operation of folding the flap 5 would finish the making of the envelope. The gum, best shown in Figure 3, is provided along the extreme edge or margin 1 1 of the front face 13 of the extension 7, along the extreme edge 15 and part of the upper end 16 of the flap 4, and along the major part of the back outer edge 17 of the flap 5, so that the extension 7, Hap 1 and flap 5, when folded down are secured in their respective positions shown in Figure 1. For fin-ally sealing the envelope there is provided the usual line of gum 18 along the major part of the back of the flap 3. Normally this gum is dry before the envelope is folded so that the envelope may be shipped to the user with out being finally sealed, and after enclosing the correspondence sheet 10, the gum 18 may be moistened and then the envelope finally sealed. It will be noted that the space between the fold line 6 and the edge 11 as shown in Figure 2, provides a considerable length of paper which may be cut or torn off without any possibility of injuring the correspondence sheet 10.

As above described, the extreme edge 141 of the extension 7 is gui'nined and secured to the back of the front 9 of the envelope so as to positively close the end of the pocket in the envelope. Since only a narrow strip along the edge 1 1 is gunnned, wide separation is permitted between the back of the front 9 of the envelope and the folded edge 6 of the pocket.

Inasmuch as this wide separation between the back of the front 9 of the envelope and the folded edge 6 of the pocket is permitted, one may easily insert his finger or a suitable instrument into this space and readily sever the extension 7 from the back of the front 9 of the envelope in order to gain access to the pocket without damaging the contents of Inn the envelope. An important advantage derived from an envelope constructed as above described resides in the fact that where large quantities of mail are received the envelopes may be initially opened by a niachine which is adapted to sever the left hand end of the envelope, to which the stamp is secured as shown in Figure 1, without interfering with the contents of the envelope. The envelopes initially opened may then be distributed to the various departments without danger of their contents, particularly suclr as small enclosures not completely filling the pocket, being accidentally removed or 'lost since the extension 7 is secured to the back of the front 9 of the envelope. Access,

however may be easily gained to the pocket I containing the correspondence or other enclosure after the envelopes have been. distributed since, as above explained, wide separation is permitted between the back of the front 9 of the envelope and the folded edge 6 of-the pocket which enables one to readily introduce his finger or a suitable instrument into this space so that the extension 7 may be easily torn from the back of the front 9 of the envelope.

Having thus described certain embodiments of my invention what I claim is:

An envelope including a front wall; a flap extending from one end of said wall and folded there to form a back portion, and having a relatively short end portion folded back and secured at its edge only to the back of said front wall leaving the greater portion of its surface adjacent but unattached to the back of said front wall, said front wall and said back portion and said end portion forming a pocket extending from one end of the envelope towards the other end of the envelope and terminating short of said other end; and flaps extending from the other edges of said front wall and adapted to be folded down upon and secured to said back portion to complete the envelope.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature to this specification.

KENNETH P. snaoonn. 

